Key questions for the Canucks

Key questions for the Canucks

The pressure is on Chris Higgins to produce on the Canucks’ second line.Photo by
Ric Ernst

After a wondrous regular season, the Canucks are not without their question marks. Let’s look at some of the biggest heading into the playoffs.

1. The third-line centre

Without Manny Malhotra, no matter what the Canucks do there will be a hole in the middle of their third line.

Will it be enough to derail them?

On the past five Stanley Cup champions, the third line has been critical. The Chicago Blackhawks had Dave Bolland, the Penguins had

Jordan Staal, the Wings had Kris Draper, the Ducks had Sami

Pahlsson and the Hurricanes had Doug Weight. All were key factors on Cup runs.

Choosing to call Cody Hodgson up for the playoffs, the Canucks now have some options.

There is Mason Raymond, who spent the last two weeks preparing for the role. Does he have the defensive sensibilities to move from the wing? He sure has the speed to fill in for Malhotra. Raymond is also better than most realize defensively. He’s not physical, but Malhotra wasn’t, either.

Here’s the problem with Raymond: It’s one thing to make the move from wing to centre for meaningless regular-season games. But quite another in, say, Chicago, where Joel Quenneville will have last change. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp on the ice at the same time against a line centred by Raymond isn’t exactly ideal.

Then there is Hodgson, who is poised to play a role in the first two games without Raffi Torres.

Hodgson is a wild card. The coaching staff wasn’t convinced enough to call him up when there were

regular season games left. Now he’s with the team for the length of its playoff run.

Will Vigneault start the playoffs with Hodgson as his third-line

centre?

It appears so. But the real question is: how long will it last?

Vigneault’s other obvious option is Max Lapierre. In a word, he has underwhelmed as a Canuck. He hasn’t been as fast or as physical as advertised. And having him killing penalties shouldn’t infuse anyone with confidence.

From there, Vigneault could try Jannik Hansen again, though it seems doubtful.

If you’re poking holes in the Canucks lineup, this is where you start.

2. The goalie

The most fascinating scenario in net for the Canucks will expose itself only if there is a crisis.

The team’s greatest strength in the regular season could be an issue if Vancouver were to lose the first two games of any series.

Now, let’s say the Canucks lose those games and give up a total of nine goals. There will be a hue and cry to get Cory Schneider into the lineup. The Canucks are vowing to resist and promise to stay with Roberto Luongo in net no matter what.

But it’s an interesting debate, to say the least, if Luongo loses two or three games in a row.

3. The Defence

The Canucks blue line is not quite a travelling band of all-stars but they’re not far off.

Still, there are questions on the back end.

Start with their No. 1 blueliner, Alex Edler, who has only played two regular season games since Jan. 24. Is he ready for the bump up in speed the playoffs provide?

The next area of concern is Sami Salo. He may have been the Canucks’ best defenceman in years past. He’s not anymore. Salo finished the year a minus-3. It’s the first time in his career he’s been a minus player.

The next question mark hangs over Keith Ballard’s helmet.

Playing his best hockey of the year, you have to wonder how much room he has for error in the postseason.

Aaron Rome is waiting for his opportunity and soon Andrew Alberts will be too.

If the Canucks lose a game or two, how long before Vigneault benches Ballard, despite how he’s played recently, and brings in one these depth defencemen who he likes so much?

4. Chris Higgins

He has got himself a spot on the Canucks’ second line. But can he keep it?

In his last three regular season games he got just four shots on net, total. In 15 games with the Canucks, he scored in one. There have been encouraging signs and certainly he’s had his share of scoring chances.

But it’s a bottom-line game. He’s going to have produce with Ryan Kesler as his centre if the Canucks are going to get the secondary scoring they need.

5. Alex Burrows

A lot is made of the Sedins’ playoff history and Roberto Luongo’s. None of them have been spectacular.

But Burrows has struggled in the postseason as much as anyone.

Last year, there was a clear reason. His shoulder was ripped up and he needed serious post-season surgery to repair it.

In 33 playoff games, Burrows has just 11 points. Not anywhere near what he should be doing playing alongside the twins. The Sedins need his forechecking and puck retrieval to be at their best. They also need him scoring goals to relieve some of the pressure.

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